Laura Bush, 2004 National Awards for Museum and Library Service

Laura Bush Presents Nation’s Highest Award to Three Museums and Three Libraries for Extraordinary Service to Communities

Institutions in Michigan, Illinois, Nevada, San Diego, Texas and Puerto Rico honored

WASHINGTON, D.C. – First Lady Laura Bush presented the 2004 National Awards for Museum and Library Service to three museums and three libraries in a March 14 ceremony at the Hotel Washington, at 15th and Pennsylvania Avenue, NW at 3:30 p.m. Recognizing the vital role of museums and libraries as leaders in a democratic society, the Institute of Museum and Library Services annually awards museums and libraries that exhibit outstanding service to their communities. The winners are as diverse as the cultural landscape of the country: small and large, urban and rural. They have one thing in common: each have found innovative ways of using their collections and programs to provide lifelong learning and address critical community concerns. It is the nation's highest honor for the extraordinary public outreach provided by museums and libraries.

"As a former schoolteacher and librarian, I know that museums and libraries are true treasures for discovery and learning,” Mrs. Bush said. “I’m delighted to have the opportunity to recognize all of these wonderful institutions.” See Laura Bush's full remarks.

The awards ceremony featured performances by exceptionally talented community representatives from two of the winning organizations. Representing the Western Folklife Center, author Linda Hussa read a poem called On A Clear, Cold Calving Night from her poetry anthology, Blood Sister, I am to These Fields. Representing the Flint Public Library, 18-year-old star orator Martres Brown read an excerpt from Martin Luther King Jr.’s I Have a Dream speech.

Representatives of each of the museums and libraries accepted the awards alongside individuals whose lives have been changed for the better as a result of the programs and services offered by these institutions. Institutions receiving the awards include:

Chicago Botanic Garden, Chicago, Illinois. Flint Public Library, Flint, Michigan Mayaguez Children’s Library, Inc., Mayaguez, Puerto Rico The Regional Academic Health Center Medical Library of the University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, Texas Western Folklife Center, Inc., Elko, Nevada Zoological Society of San Diego, San Diego, California

“Museums and libraries play a powerful role in building and sustaining the communities that are the foundation of American democracy today,” said Institute of Museum and Library Services Director Robert S. Martin, Ph.D. “That means being much more than a place to view artwork or a building that houses volumes of books. It means becoming a place – both physical and virtual – that understands its unique ability and duty to respond to the needs of those in the immediate community, and in many cases far beyond.” View Dr. Martin's opening remarks.

The National Award for Museum Service was established in 1994, and the National Award for Library Service was established in 2000. Recipients of the awards are chosen for their innovative approaches to public service, and for their success in improving communities and making a difference in peoples’ lives. All types of museums, from anthropological to zoological, fine art to folk art, urban, suburban, rural, large and small are eligible for the award. Public and private nonprofit libraries are eligible to receive this award, and nominations of libraries of all sizes are encouraged.

The celebration of the 2004 National Awards for Museum and Library Service is made possible by the generous support of 3M Library Systems.

The Institute of Museum and Library Services is an independent Federal grant-making agency dedicated to creating and sustaining a nation of learners by helping libraries and museums serve their communities. The Institute fosters leadership, innovation, and a lifetime of learning by supporting the nation’s 15,000 museums and 122,000 libraries. The Institute also encourages partnerships to expand the educational benefit of libraries and museums.

Press Contacts202/606-8339 Mamie Bittner mbittner@imls.gov Eileen Maxwell emaxwell@imls.gov